Dish Drops AMC Just Before 'Breaking Bad' Season Premiere

Sun, 07/01/2012 - 14:43 EDT - Forbes.com - Top Stories

Dish Network has dropped AMC, just a couple of weeks before its ratings behemoth Breaking Bad premieres its fifth season. This means about fourteen million homes - including that of yours truly - could lose access to some of the best original series to hit cable in years, like Bad, The Walking Dead, Hell On ...

(Reuters) - AMC Networks, which carries "Breaking Bad," "The Walking Dead," "Mad Men" and other popular television shows, was removed from Dish Network early Sunday after its contract with the satellite TV company expired without a new agreement. Dish, the second-largest satellite TV provider behind DirectTV, said it dropped New York-based AMC because it was charging fees that were too high for the low-rated channel. AMC's contract also expired with AT&T on June 30, but negotiations between the parties continue and AMC channels are being carried on AT&T, the companies said on Sunday. ...

"Breaking Bad" is ending its five season run this Sunday. After we bid farewell to the greatest meth kingpin of all time, what should you watch next? We've already accepted that it will be pretty difficult for anything to live up to or replace the AMC series. But since we're voracious television consumers, we know it's impossible to stop watching TV all together.

AMC (AMCX) recently confirmed a deal to acquire a 49.9% stake in BBC America, to gain control of the channel's operations as well as advertising, distribution, and sales network in the US; the deal still leaves 50.1% of the ownership with BBC. The agreement, which was first rumored in July, is described as a “long term creative partnership” that will help both groups access premium quality content, and increase the BBC's viewership in the US.

By Chris Katje: AMC Networks (AMCX) is the company behind the television channels AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, and WE TV. The company also owns IFC Films. The company was recently spun off from Cablevision (CVC).

“Breaking Bad” spin-off “Better Call Saul” premieres on AMC next month, and it’s everything you could possibly want from a spin-off of the hit series — musical montages that pull at your heart strings, cameos from some of your favorite Albuquerque natives, and plenty of Saul trying to talk his way out of trouble.

(Reuters) - AMC Networks, which carries "Breaking Bad," "The Walking Dead," "Mad Men" and other popular television shows, was removed from Dish Network early Sunday after its contract with the satellite TV company expired without a new agreement.